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Saturday, September 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Read the Bible

Douay-Rheims Bible

Judges 8:17

And he demolished the tower of Phanuel, and slew the men of the city.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Gideon;   Israel;   Patriotism;   Penuel;   Retaliation;   Tower;   Zalmunna;   Zebah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ishmaelites, the;   Towers;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Peniel or Penuel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gideon;   Gilead;   Jabbok;   Palestine;   Penuel;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Penuel;   Towers;   Zalmunna;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Succoth;   Zebah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Gideon;   Judges, Book of;   Penuel;   Zalmunna;   Zebah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Judges (1);   Levi;   Midian, Mtdianites;   Ophrah;   Penuel;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Penuel ;   Zalmunna ;   Zebah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Midian;   Peniel;   Succoth;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ze'bah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Gideon;   War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Peniel;   Zebah and Zalmunna;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Peniel;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
Hebrew Names Version
He broke down the tower of Penu'el, and killed the men of the city.
King James Version
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Lexham English Bible
He broke down the tower of Penuel, and he killed the men of the city.
English Standard Version
And he broke down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
New Century Version
He also pulled down the tower of Peniel and killed the people in that city.
New English Translation
He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city's men.
Amplified Bible
He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
New American Standard Bible
And he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Also he brake downe the towre of Penuel, and slew the men of the citie.
Legacy Standard Bible
But you, beloved, must remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Contemporary English Version
Afterwards he went to Penuel, where he tore down the tower and killed all the town officials there.
Complete Jewish Bible
He also broke down the tower of P'nu'el and put the men of the city to death.
Darby Translation
And he broke down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Easy-to-Read Version
Gideon also pulled down the tower in the city of Penuel and killed the men living in that city.
George Lamsa Translation
And he broke clown the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Good News Translation
He also tore down the tower at Penuel and killed the men of that city.
Literal Translation
And he broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the tower of Penuel brake he downe, and slewe the men of the cite.
American Standard Version
And he brake down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Bible in Basic English
And he had the tower of Penuel broken down and the men of the town put to death.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he brake downe the towre of Phanuel, & slue the men of the citie.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he broke down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
King James Version (1611)
And he beat downe the towre of Penuel, and slew the men of the citie.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he overthrew the tower of Phanuel, and slew the men of the city.
English Revised Version
And he brake down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Berean Standard Bible
He also pulled down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
whanne the dwelleris of the citee weren slayn.
Young's Literal Translation
and the tower of Penuel he hath broken down, and slayeth the men of the city.
Update Bible Version
And he broke down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
World English Bible
He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.
New King James Version
Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
New Living Translation
He also tore down the tower of Peniel and killed all the men in the town.
New Life Bible
Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
New Revised Standard
He also broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
the tower of Penuel also, brake he down, - and slew the men of the city.
Revised Standard Version
And he broke down the tower of Penu'el, and slew the men of the city.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

Contextual Overview

4 And when Gedeon was come to the Jordan, he passed over it with the three hundred men that were with him: who were so weary that they could not pursue after them that fled. 5 And he said to the men of Soccoth: Give, I beseech you, bread to the people that is with me, for they are faint: that we may pursue Zebee, and Salmana, the kings of Madian. 6 The princes of Soccoth answered: Peradventure the palms of the hands of Zebee and Salmana are in thy hand, and therefore thou demandest that we should give bread to thy army. 7 And he said to them: When the Lord therefore shall have delivered Zebee and Salmana into my hands, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the desert. 8 And going up from thence, he came to Phanuel: and he spoke the like things to the men of that place. And they also answered him, as the men of Soccoth had answered. 9 He said, therefore, to them also: When I shall return a conqueror in peace, I will destroy this tower. 10 But Zebee and Salmana were resting with all their army. For fifteen thousand men were left of all the troops of the eastern people, and one hundred and twenty thousand warriors that drew the sword were slain. 11 And Gedeon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, on the east of Nobe and Jegbaa, and smote the camp of the enemies, who were secure, and suspected no hurt. 12 And Zebee and Salmana fled, and Gedeon pursued and took them, all their host being put in confusion. 13 And returning from the battle before the sun rising,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Judges 8:9, 1 Kings 12:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 32:30 - Peniel 1 Chronicles 20:3 - with saws

Cross-References

Genesis 1:22
And he blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea: and let the birds be multiplied upon the earth.
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth.
Genesis 8:13
Therefore in the six hundredth and first year, the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were lessened upon the earth, and Noe opening the covering of the ark, looked, and saw that the face of the earth was dried.
Genesis 8:14
In the second month, the seven and twentieth day of the month, the earth was dried.
Genesis 8:15
And God spoke to Noe, saying:
Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noe and his sons. And he said to them: Increase, and multiply, and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:7
But increase you and multiply, and go upon the earth and fill it.
Psalms 107:38
(106-38) And he blessed them, and they were multiplied exceedingly: and their cattle he suffered not to decrease.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he beat down the tower of Penuel,.... As he threatened he would, Judges 8:9 whether this was before or after he had chastised the elders of Succoth, is not clear; one would think by the course he steered going from Succoth to Penuel, as he went, he should come to Penuel first at his return; however, he demolished their tower in which they trusted:

and slew the men of the city; perhaps they might, as Kimchi conjectures, resist when he went about to beat down their tower; on which a fray might ensue, in which they were slain; or they might upon his approach, sensible of the offence they had given him, fly to their tower for safety, and were killed in it when that was beaten down about them. In what manner this was done is not said; no doubt they had instruments in those days for demolishing such edifices.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The men of the city - Perhaps the rulers; who, it is likely, had possession of the tower or citadel, and so could tyrannize over the people. Gideon killed the great men, and beat down their towers, but did not injure the inhabitants.


 
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